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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24459583">Laughter is Better Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfzhyza/pseuds/PanicAtTheEverywhere'>PanicAtTheEverywhere (elfzhyza)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Love Ties a Family Together [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adopted Children, Adoption, Blueberries, Breakfast, Deceit | Janus Sanders Has Vitiligo, Family, Family Fluff, Gen, Kid Deceit | Janus Sanders, Multi, Pancakes, Parent Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Parent Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Parent Logic | Logan Sanders, Parent Morality | Patton Sanders, Parenthood, Polyamory, Polygamy, Puns &amp; Word Play, but its legal in this au shut up, i just wanted patton to be able to say husbands, stress cooking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:40:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,927</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24459583</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfzhyza/pseuds/PanicAtTheEverywhere</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thanks to Logan, his husbands have realized that they want to adopt a kid. Patton's nervous, and stress-cooking commences, which leads to pancakes. A LOT of pancakes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil/Creativity | Roman/Logic | Logan/Morality | Patton, Deceit | Janus Sanders &amp; Everyone, Deceit | Janus Sanders &amp; Morality | Patton Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Love Ties a Family Together [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766695</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>161</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Laughter is Better Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have a second part written, so keep an eye out for that! It might be posted today or tomorrow, depending on how impatient I get and how badly y'all want it</p><p>trigger warning: food, mentions of eating</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I want a kid," blurts Logan, and all of his husbands turn to look at him. Out of all of them, Logan should have been the least likely to admit this—in theory, Patton or Roman would have been the ones to bring up the idea, especially with the way Patton has always wanted a family. But it's Logan who admits this first to himself and his husbands, and he instantly blushes. "Is... is that... alright?" he adds, much quieter this time.</p><p> </p><p>Patton takes Logan's hands. "Of course it is! We've been married for three years already, and I think we're definitely settled in, so that won't be a problem. Between the four of us, we've got three jobs, so we have the money." He absently strokes the back of Logan's hand with his thumb. "All that's left is, well, us <em> wanting </em> a kid."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm not so sure about adoption," Virgil mumbles, fidgeting with his headphones he wears loose around his neck when he's not listening to music or calming ambient sounds.</p><p> </p><p>Roman watches him, a soft concerned look in his green eyes. "Why not, mi cielo?" He gives Virgil a <em> look </em>that asks if he can touch Virgil, and when Virgil shakes his head, Roman backs off.</p><p> </p><p>"I just... have had bad experiences with the system." He refuses to make eye contact, but his husbands recall when he told them about the many incidents he'd had over the years in foster care.</p><p> </p><p>"Virgil," says Logan carefully. "I believe that would only be an issue if... the caregivers were the ones with..." He doesn't finish, but Virgil finally glances up. He nods stiffly at Logan, and he knows his point has been understood.</p><p> </p><p>"Besides, there are other options aside from adoption!" Patton beams at the prospect.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, yeah, but adoption is the most straightforward." Roman looks to Logan to confirm that his counterargument is, indeed, correct, and Logan simply raises an eyebrow. Roman rolls his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"I guess that's true." Patton's thumb has stopped rubbing circles against Logan's hand and is now still as he thinks, and Logan squeezes his hand. Patton doesn't respond right away, but when he does, he smiles.</p><p> </p><p>"So we're gonna adopt, then. We're gonna have a kid." He sounds slightly awed, and now Logan is incredibly grateful he brought it up, if only to see Patton so amazed. "We're gonna be dads! I've only been waiting for this for... huh, my entire life!"</p><p> </p><p>He jumps up off the couch, unable to contain his energy, and Roman stands with ease, sweeping Patton into the air in a graceful 360° spin. Patton giggles as Roman sets him down, and Roman grins, tucking a piece of Patton's hair behind his ear that had fallen into his face before gently pressing his lips to Patton's forehead. Patton is, of course, very ticklish, and so this only serves to make him giggle even more.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, c'mere, Lo, Vee! Come join us! This is a happy occasion!" Patton wiggles his fingers and then his eyebrows at them invitingly, and they both mock sigh but soon join their husbands doing whatever Patton considers a celebration. They sneak little smiles, but can't help themselves and break out into grins.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Virgil is sure that he'd been holding Patton in his arms when he'd fallen asleep, but when he wakes up, Patton's not there. Virgil sits up slowly, smiling because of Roman's groaned half-asleep protests when Virgil moves Roman's arms from where they were tightly wrapped around his waist. He trudges down into the kitchen, and there he finds Patton.</p><p> </p><p>Stacked on the counter is a huge pile of pancakes teetering on its plate, and Virgil is sure that if Patton hadn't been stress-cooking, he'd have been pacing <strike> again. </strike></p><p> </p><p>Patton brightens when he sees Virgil, and then looks guiltily at the giant pile of pancakes. "Oops?" He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, at least we'll have reheated food to last us a couple of days, and with any luck, our… our kid will enjoy pancakes." The word "kid" is barely uttered, each syllable soft and light on Patton's tongue as if he's afraid to say it.</p><p> </p><p>"Why are you stress-cooking?" Virgil grabs a plate, loading it up with a surplus of pancakes. (While he loves Patton's pancakes—they all do, somehow he always makes them so light and fluffy yet also so rich in flavor—he won't be able to eat all of this, but he might as well humor his husband for the time being and <em> pretend </em> that this is actually a perfectly normal amount of pancakes.)</p><p> </p><p>Patton lifts one of the pancakes still cooking with his spatula to peek underneath. "I'm not stressed, Virge, not really. I'm just…"</p><p> </p><p>"Nervous?" suggests Logan from the doorway. "You've been stress-cooking again, whatever you may call it. This is an unusual amount of pancakes, Patton."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, nervous, that's it." Patton flips over a pancake. "And it's really not that many, Logan." Logan catches Virgil's eye and he mouths <em> Falsehood, </em> which almost catches Virgil off guard but he remembers to stifle his chuckle in time.</p><p> </p><p>Roman strolls casually into the kitchen. "I see we have a large breakfast today, but that's all well and good when the only things here I want to eat are the three of you." He winks.</p><p> </p><p>The three husbands have three very different responses.</p><p> </p><p>Patton turns red, his entire face roughly the color of a strawberry. He's got figurative steam coming out of his ears, and he mumbles something as he flips another pancake.</p><p> </p><p>Logan is mildly flustered, letting out a few sighs and sharp exhales as well as taking in a few sharp inhales. He straightens his shoulders and shakes his head at Roman, but there's a hint of a smirk in his eyes, and Roman can clearly tell.</p><p> </p><p>Virgil flushes from the tip of his nose to his ears. His eyes widen, and he quickly re-balances his plate in his hands before he sends a pile of pancakes spilling onto the kitchen floor. He glares vehemently at Roman, who just looks back at him with an innocent smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Anyway, Pat, flirting aside, it smells delicious." Roman samples a pancake from the top of the pile instead of sliding some off onto a plate.</p><p> </p><p>"About your flirting, Roman," begins Logan. "It is… borderline acceptable when we are alone, but we are going to have a child starting <em> today, </em> and I don't want to hear you making crude comments like that with a kid around. Also, Patton." He rounds on Patton next, but Patton pulls back, clearly still nervous. Logan takes a deep breath, reeling in his Business Voice and letting out his Husband Voice. "No swearing."</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, I don't swear that much more than you guys!" protests Patton.</p><p> </p><p>"Not true. Remember when you dropped the chocolate chips?" suggests Virgil.</p><p> </p><p>"And that time you realized you had an overdue library book because it was hidden under the bed and you refused to check because you were convinced there was a demon under there out to get you?" Roman reminds casually.</p><p> </p><p>Patton deflates. "Okay, yeah, that… yeah. Okay. I do swear a lot, but I promise I have a filter! Don't worry."</p><p> </p><p>Logan still looks worried, and Patton opens a cupboard under the sink. He pulls out a jar of what could only be one thing, and Logan's eyes light up like a child on Christmas.</p><p> </p><p>"Crofter's?" he asks, the pure excitement in his voice reminding Patton of a puppy about to play fetch.</p><p> </p><p>"We're all going to be a little stressed with inviting a new member into our family and adjusting to that, and I'm sorry to say this, but you are the easiest to please." Patton chuckles as Logan practically tears the lid off and it goes bouncing across the floor. "I can get you some toast, or…?" But Logan's already stacking pancakes on a plate, and Patton has a stinking suspicion that maybe Crofter's doesn't taste so bad on pancakes…?</p><p> </p><p>Maybe.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strike> He and Logan were both wrong. It's not a pleasant texture. It's not a terrible texture either, but now they know better. Never again. </strike>
</p><p> </p><p>"Alright, are we ready to go?" Logan asks once they're all in the car. They all nod, and he starts the car.</p><p> </p><p>Patton is lost in thought for the entire drive. In the back seat, Virgil and Roman are bantering, and usually he'd be pretending he doesn't think it's funny, but he can't bring himself to listen today. He's just too nervous.</p><p> </p><p>"We're here." Logan lightly touches Patton's shoulder, and he jumps. "I hope I didn't startle you too much." Patton shakes his head and unbuckles. This is fine, Patton. It's fine.</p><p> </p><p>They're taken into a room to wait, and Virgil massages Patton's shoulders. He's got a few knots, but he's never complained about it so he's not sure how Virgil knows—but he's grateful that Virgil knows.</p><p> </p><p>"Thanks."</p><p> </p><p>"You looked tense," Virgil says in answer to Patton's questioning look. "Usually, when someone's tense, the best place to start is the shoulders."</p><p> </p><p>The door opens, and it takes all of Patton's self-control not to immediately shoot up onto his feet. He takes a few deep breaths.</p><p> </p><p>A woman sticks her head through the now open door. "The Sanders, correct?" When Roman nods, she opens the door the rest of the way. "I'm Sasha. It looks like all of your paperwork is properly completed, so I've brought Janus to meet you."</p><p> </p><p>There's a boy standing behind the woman. He's not cowering behind her, but he isn't entirely dauntless either. He mostly seems curious.</p><p> </p><p>Patton takes a closer look. The boy, whose name must be Janus, has two differently-colored eyes. His right eye is a shade of green not unlike Roman's and his left eye is a shade of brown not unlike Virgil's. His hair is a little long and fluffy, and Patton wonders what it would feel like to brush it. His skin is darker than Roman's, but there's a few patches of lighter skin on one side of his face.</p><p> </p><p>Janus catches Patton staring at him and kind of shrugs, and Patton isn't sure why he was ever nervous. He is adorable. This is the one. This boy is going to be his son if he has anything at all to say about it.</p><p> </p><p>Roman's watching Patton, and he sighs slightly. He knows what Patton's thinking. Patton gets this look on his face whenever he's decided something belongs to him. He's seen it many times before, and he knows what's going to happen next.</p><p> </p><p>"Hi." Patton smiles at Janus, and Janus hesitantly smiles back. Patton's instantly filled with a warm and fuzzy feeling. "My name's Patton! I like your name. Janus is a really cool name." He cautiously approaches the boy, who doesn't try to step away from Patton, although he doesn't step closer. "Can you talk?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes," Janus says, and Patton nearly squeals right then and there. His voice is a little raspy but tiny just like the rest of him.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, I'm gonna be your dad." Patton's beaming and he swears if anything else happens, if he gets any happier, he <em> will </em> explode.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, <em> dad." </em> Janus smirks at him, and that's Patton's last straw. He is now internally screaming.</p><p> </p><p>"Patton, are you ok?" Roman asks.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, yeah, completely fine." When Patton turns, he's crying, but smiling.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry I made you cry." Janus is now panicking. He's already made his new dad cry and they've only been in the same room for three minutes. Did he say something wrong?</p><p> </p><p>"Nonono you're fine sweetheart." Patton still has tears dripping down his face, but he takes Janus' hand, and Janus finds that it's much easier to ground himself with the aid of physical contact. "I'm just… happy." <em> Oh. Well, good, he didn’t actually upset his new dad. </em> "Can I… hug you?" Janus nods—he misses hugs—and Patton kneels fully, enveloping the small boy in a hug. Janus inhales, taking in Patton's scent—smells like cookies, maybe?</p><p> </p><p>"If you're my dad, then what are they?" Janus asks once his dad has stopped crying, nodding to the other men.</p><p> </p><p>"They're my husbands!" Patton informs him.</p><p> </p><p>His brow furrows. "All of them?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes. I love them."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh." Janus thinks silently for a minute. "What do I call them, then? Are they my dads too?"</p><p> </p><p>"You can call me papa," Roman cuts in. He'd thought about this in advance, and so had the other two, but they'd never discussed it, only separately considered it.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm your tati." Virgil smiles at Janus.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>"And Logan's gonna be your baba, right Logan?" Patton winks at him.</p><p> </p><p>Logan splutters. He'd never told Patton what he'd picked, but Patton is somehow correct. "Yes." He adjusts his glasses, as is his habit when he needs something to do with his hands.</p><p> </p><p>"Cool." Janus looks around at all of them. "So I have four dads now. Which one tells dad jokes?" They all point at Patton, and he laughs.</p><p> </p><p>"That'll be me, kiddo. Say, what's something you like?"</p><p> </p><p>"I like snakes." Janus doesn't know why Patton's asking, but he seems nice, so he'll go along with it.</p><p> </p><p>"Hm, okay." Patton thinks. "Oh! Okay. Kiddo, I think you're <em> hiss-terical. </em> You remind me of Virgil but on a smaller <em> scale. </em> It'll be cool to have a kid around the house, we can <em> snake </em> it up a bit." He's chuckling at his own jokes. None of the other men seem very amused, but Janus laughs, and Patton's eyes light up. He can get used to this.</p><p> </p><p>The next morning Janus wakes up in an unfamiliar place—ah, yes, his new room. But what's this he's holding? A… a stuffed snake?</p><p> </p><p>There's a note on the bedside table. It's in a slightly messy scrawl. It reads, <em> Good morning, kiddo! I went out shopping yesterday night for some things I forgot and I saw this and you like snakes so it reminded me of you! Hopefully you like it. I'll be in the kitchen if you wake up after 8, but if I'm not up yet, there's some pancakes in the fridge and if you'd like you can microwave them for two minutes. Love, Dad. </em></p><p> </p><p>Janus rolls his eyes. They're doing so much for him already, and he only just met them yesterday.</p><p> </p><p>He starts to leave but then changes his mind. He goes back for the snake plushie—he's going to name her Ethel. He brings her with him to breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>It's only 7:43, so Patton isn't up yet, but Janus does find the container of pancakes in the fridge. He stands on his tiptoes to reach a plate and puts some of the pancakes on the plate. He microwaves the pancakes for two minutes and takes them to the table to sit.</p><p> </p><p>As he eats, Janus looks around. He'd gotten here yesterday, but he hadn't gotten much of a chance to really observe. He'd been overwhelmed and tired, so he'd gone to bed not long after getting there. Wait—<em>home.</em> This is… his <em>home</em> now. He's never had a real home before.</p><p> </p><p>On the wall by the door, there's a trophy display. Janus can't read the plaques from there, but he bets if he went over there to read one, it would commend Roman on his acting. He'd asked a few questions about his dads in the car on the way home. At first he'd been worried his questions would get annoying, but they'd been more than happy, overjoyed even, that he was expressing interest. He'd learned that Roman does acting, Patton's a librarian, and Logan is a professor at a nearby university. Virgil is a freelance artist, but he doesn't get paid much for his work.</p><p> </p><p>Janus bites into a reheated lukewarm pancake and his eyes widen. Is this a blueberry pancake? He shovels down the blueberry pancakes as fast as he can and eats the normal and chocolate chip ones a bit slower. He makes sure to rinse off his plate, leaving it in the sink.</p><p> </p><p>"Good morning, kiddo." Patton enters the kitchen. He's delighted to see that Janus brought his snake plushie with him. "Did you like the gift, then?"</p><p> </p><p>"I loved it," Janus says, and Patton looks so extremely happy that it almost takes him aback. <em> Wow, so Patton's really a pure soul, huh? </em></p><p> </p><p>"Let's get some food in you, hm?" Patton hustles over to the stove.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, I've already eaten, actually."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, really?" Patton turns to face him. "What did you have?"</p><p> </p><p>"All…" Janus lowers his gaze to the floor. "All the blueberry pancakes."</p><p> </p><p>"I can't hear you, honey, you've gotta speak up."</p><p> </p><p>"I ate all the blueberry pancakes," blurts Janus.</p><p> </p><p>Patton blinks. "Oh, wow. You just really like blueberries, huh?"</p><p> </p><p>"They're my favorite food?" Janus meant to say that as a statement but it comes out as more of a question.</p><p> </p><p>Patton claps once in excitement. "In that case, I'll have to make you some more soon." He hums as he gets himself a <strike> huge </strike> serving of pancakes from the fridge. He taps the counter behind him as he leans on it while he waits the two minutes required to warm the pancakes. Janus normally would be bothered by sounds like that, but since it's Patton, it's endearing.</p><p> </p><p>By 8:30, the other three dads have stumbled into the kitchen in varying states of sleepiness, and Patton gives them each a good morning kiss on the cheek. Before long, a friendly argument has broken out, and Janus smirks behind his plushie. He can get used to this.</p>
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